Monday, April 16, 2007

The Rhino Wins 3rd Place!

If you have been following my blog recently, you'll know that my youngest son, the Rhino, had his story, "The Dragon's Claw" submitted at the district level for DQL (Discovering Quality Literature). Well, his fantasy story won third prize! My poll voters overwhelmingly opted to see the story here at Cool Moms Rule, so here are the first chapters to get you started!

James had never met a dragon before and he didn't exactly seem too friendly.

"Why do you linger into my cave?" asked the dragon in a booming voice. "Have you come, like so many others, to slay me?" Opening his mouth to shine his murderous teeth, he demanded, "Well, have you?!"

James knew this wasn't going to end well.



THE DRAGON'S CLAW


***********

Prologue

James is a royal guard, who has just been promoted by the King. He was on his way to his sector when a man burst out of the palace and started running toward the castle gate. James turned away, and then quickly turned back again. He had seen the King's shield on the man's back!

"Close the gate!" James shouted, but too late. The man had already run through the gate and out into the meadow. James quickly followed, grabbing his horse and jumping on its back, narrowly missing the gate as it closed over his head.

Chapter One: Chase

James quickly sprinted out the gate on his horse. The villain was heading north, across the field--toward the Mountains of Dawn. James, being a knight in the King's army, was restricted and could not go there. He never knew why....

The thief had mounted his horse, though, and was riding at a fast pace. He must have planned this, thought James.

James grabbed his spear from his saddle, taking aim. But the thief disappeared up the mountain's slope. James followed. The mountain was freezing. Snow covered even the lowest peaks. James kept up his speed, following the crook. The thief got off his horse and started climbing up a rocky slope, the shield on his back.

James dismounted, following him up the ledge. The thief had reached the top by now, and was making a run for it up the mountain. James finally got to the top and drew his sword. Seeing he was about to be attacked, the thief took out a sword, preparing to fight.

This surprised James. A thief, trying to fight a royal guard?

"Surrender now, or I'll have to take that shield off yoru body once you're dead!" yelled James, holidng his sword up high.

"You can try," said the thief in a calm voice.

Suddenly, the thief jumped toward James, swinging his sword in the air and swiping in the same motion. James rolled to the left, barely evading the attack, and stabbed his sword at the thief in a quick counter-strike. The thief swept James's sowrd away with his own and swung a high hit for James's head. James ducked, swiping for the thief's feet.

"ArrgggHHH!" The thief cried, falling to the ground and holding his leg. The snow under his body began to turn red.

"Here!" The thief yelled, throwing the shield at James, "Take that rubbish!" The thief clawed over to a white tree and sat against it, breathing heavily.

James picked up the shield without a word and turned to leave. Wait--where am I? James remembered that he had climbed a slope after riding to the mountain, but now he was surrounded by cliffs and slopes. I'll just go down, thought James.

Then, as if the mountain had heard him, the climbable ledge below him collapsed. CRASH! The whole slope caved away, leaving only a very steep ledge in its place.

"Oh, GREAT," James said aloud. Now he had to find a new way off the mountain which he wasn't even supposed to be on!

James sighed and began walking towards the nearest landmark, a cave. He was freezing.

"That looks like a nice warm play to stay," muttered James. He decided to have a look inside.

Inside, the cave was gigantic! It seemed to lead all the way through the mountains. The wind sounded like a wolf howling, loud and sharp, cutting into the dark cave.

James saw movement oout of the corner of his eye. Quickly, he drew his sword once more.

"Who's there?" James yelled. If the thing inside didn't know he was there before, it did now! What could it be? James wondered, looking around. A goblin, a drake or a--Just then, an enormous creature emerged, stretching its long neck around a stalagmite--a Dragon!


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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

That's great! He must be so proud. :)

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